Jar-lid opener



June 17, 1924. 1,493,009

W. BALL JAR LID OPENER Filed July 30. 1925 atented .lune 17, 1924'WALTER BALL, or EUBBARD, `oI-iiro.

JAR-LID OPENER.

`Application filed Zuly 30, 1923. Serial No. 654,669.

To all 'whom it may] concern;

Be it known that I, WALTER BALL, a citizen of United States, residing atHubbard, in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in J ar-Lid Openers, of which thefollowing is ak specification, reference being had therein to the'accompanying drawing. ,j Q

The present invention relates generally to wrenches, and more especiallyto suchl devices as are used for opening or unscrewing jar lids, itbeing the object ofthe invention to provide a novel and improvedwrenchfor convenientlyr and effectively tightening or loosening the screw topsor lids of fruit jars and the like, although the device can be used vforother purposes for which it is suitable.

Another Objectis theprov'ision of such a device comprising a handle anda' fiexible band or strap connected to the handle to embracey the jarlid orV otherjobject, said band or strap tending to contract itself onthe lid or object, for .holding the device in place, andalsoholdingitself in engagement with the han'dl'e. ,1

A f urther object is `the provision of a novel adjustable connectionbetween the handle and strap for accommodating lids, jars and other`objects of dierent diameters. A still further Objectis the provision ofa novel latch for holding the handle and strap in engagement againstaccidental separation. y

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent asthe description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction andarrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, it beingunderstood that changes can be madeewithin the scope of what is claimed,wit-hout departing from the spirit of the invention.

VThe invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein--e YFigure 1 isa plan View of theimplement, portions being broken away andshown in section.

Fig. 2 isfa side elevation thereof, the strap being shown in section;

4Fig- 31s a ycross section on the line 3 3` of Fig. 1. j

The handle 7 is of lsheet metal or other suitable stock, and has theliange 8 extending along its'longitudinal edges and around its rear end,to stiffen and strengthen the handle, said flange extending away fromthe side of the handle against which the pressure or force is applied.The handle 7 has a hole 9 therein near its rear end for hanging thedevice up from a nail or hook.

-The strap or band 10 is vcomposed of tempered resilient strip or sheetmetal, and one terminal of the strap is bent vback and riveted orotherwise secured, as at 11, to form a loop or eye 12 which is hingedlyconnectedto the forward end of the handle, said handle having aytransverse slot13 therein at its forward end through 'which the loop 12is engaged. This permanently connects the corresponding ends of thehandle and strap with a loose or flexible connection, permitting the`handle to be swung or turned relatively lto the strap.

The strap 1s tempered 1n a curved or bent position so that it tends toassume a circle of aldiamet'er less than the diameter of the smallestjail` lid or object for which the wrench is intended', and then strapwill thus have a tendency to contract orcurl up. 'hi's is of advantagefor two reasons, namely, `(first) vit causes the strap' to contract andembrace the object, and (second) the free terminal of the strap ismaintained in engagement with the handle, for` holding the wrench inplace on the object unassisted.

1 The handle 7 is providedr with a transverse slot 14; near but spacedfrom the. 'forward end of the handle, through which the loose terminalof the strap extends, for adjusting the loop of the strap for yobjectsof different sizes. The slot 14 has aforwardly extending portion 15ofreduced length forming. the lugs 16,/a'nd the strap 10 is provided inits opposite edges with the notches 17, whereby when thestrap has beenslid in `the slot 14 to make the proper ad-` justment, the strap can beshifted forwardly into the portion 15 of the slot, causing the lugs 16to engage in the corresponding notches 17 and thereby prevent-ing thestrap from sliding in the handle. This will main- The strap 10 has teeth18 struck inwardly gagement against accidental therefrom and facing inthe direction so as to bite the jar lid or other object to prevent thestrap from slipping around the object. The strap can thus obtain a goodgrip or hold on the object. The teeth 8 are struck from the outer sideof the strap so as to project from the inner side of the strap,

and said teeth are arranged at obtuse angles with the strap with theirfree edges presented for biting engagement with the object. The teeth 18are located between and spaced from the edges of the strap. In strikingthe teeth from the strap, the strap is formed with slits extendingtransversely of the strap between the edges of the strap, withthe'terminals of the slits extending toward that end of the strapopposite to the end, to'retain the latch in place. The latch is formednear its forward end with a U- shaped finger piece 2l extending throughan opening 22 provided in the handle, whereby to limit the longitudinalsliding movement of the latch, and to also enable the latch to bemanipulated. The forward end of the latch is formed with a head orportion 23 to snap into the slot let behindthe strap 10, when the strapis shifted forwardly in the slotto bring the interengageable portions ofthe strap and handle together. The latch 19 has a tendency to bow awayfrom the'V handle 7, and the rear terminal portion of the latch beingslidable in the guide 20, will hold the forward terminal portion of thelatch under spring iniiuence against Vthe handle.

Y In order to adjust the strap 10, the finger piece 21 is pressed towardthe handle 7, thereby moving the portion 23 out of the Vslot 14, and thelatch can then be slid rearwardly, to the position as seen in dottedlines in Fig. l. The strap 1() can then be shifted rearwardly in theslot 14 to enable the strap to be slid lengthwise in the slot forenlarging or reducing the looprformed by the strap, for objects ofdifferent sizes, as will be apparent. When the loop is of the propersize to embrace the object, the loose terminal of the strap is permittedto spring forwardly into the portion 15 of the Vslot 14C, so that thecorresponding notches 17 are engaged by the'lugs 16, thereby engagingthe strap and handle to prevent separation thereof. The linger piece 21is then pressed forwardly, to slide the latch forwardly, and the portion23 will spring into the slot 14, as seen in Fig. 1, thereby preventingthe strap from shifting rearwardlyY in the slot, y

Vof the strap extends, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, the strap iscaused to tighten on and grip the object. The handle acts as a lever tomove the terminals of the strap in opposite directions for contractingthe loop, and the gripping of the object is accomplished by the simplelever action of the handle, without it being required that the handexert a squeezing or compressing action. The handle 7 isrrsimply turnedin the direction in which the force is to be applied to the jar lid orobject, which will cause the strap to tightly embrace the object so thatthe object will turn with the handle. To loosen the strap, the handle 7is simply turned in the opposite direction, to open the loop ofthe strapand release it from the object. VThe teeth 18 biting the jar lid orobject will prevent the strap from slipping, and the wrench can be usedin reversed positions for either tightening or loosening the screw topsor lids of jars, bottles andvother containers. j Y Y Having thusdescribed the invention, what is claimed as new is j 1. A wrenchcomprising a handle having a slot, and a strap having one end connectedto the handle and having its free terminal extending through saidv slot,the slot having a reduced portion forming lugs on the handle, and thestrap having notches in its edges to permit the strap to be shifted intosaid reduced portion and the lugs to engage in the notches forpreventing separation of the handle and strap.

2. A wrench comprising a handle, and a metal strap connected to thehandle to embrace an object, said strap having slits therethroughforming teeth of the same thickness as the strap, said teethbeing Vbentto project from the inner Vside of the strap at obtuse angles with thestrap and having free edges presented for biting engagement with theobject.

3. A wrench comprising a handle, a strap connected to the handle, thehandle having a slot for the passage of the free terminal of the strap,thehandle and strap having portions to interengage when the strap ismoved longitudinally of the handle away from one edge of said slot, forpreventing the handle and strap from separating, and a latch carried bythe handle having apportion to enter said slot from one side of thehandle and to it between the strap and said edge of the slot for holdingsaid portions in engagement.

4. A wrench comprising a handle having a slot, a strap connected at oneend With the handle and having its free terminal extending through saidslot, the handle and strap having portions to engage When said strap isshifted transversely in said slot, and a resilient latch carried by thehandle and having a portion to spring into said slot from one side ofthe handle for holding said portions in engagement.

5. A Wrench comprising a handle having a slot, an opening and a guideportion, a

strap connected at one end to the handle and having its free terminalextending through said slot, the handle and strap having portions tointerengage When the strap is shifted transversely in said slot, and aspring latch slidable in said guide portion and having a portion tospring into said slot for holding the strap in engagement With thehandle, the latch having a finger piece extending through said openingfor sliding the latch and springing said portion thereof out of saidslot.

In Vtestimony whereof I hereunto aiiiX my signature.

WALTER BALL.

